Why apply for awards?
There is always something to do when you are running your own business. So why should you spend your precious time applying for awards especially when there are no guarantees you will come home with a shiny piece of metal for your office?
Here are our top 5 reasons why it is worth setting time aside to complete those applications and go shopping for your outfit for the big night!
1 – Step outside the Bubble
The more prestigious the award, the more work you have to do. But this doesn’t have to be bad thing. Awards are a good opportunity to help you think about your company from an external perspective. The questions might spark an idea of something you should be doing, or planned to do but never get around to. This might just be the spur needed to dust off that business plan and see how you are measuring up.
This is your chance to have an objective view from industry experts on how you match up on key business areas. If you don’t win this year maybe there is something to work on that will help boost your profits as well as getting a trophy.
2 – Rate yourself
You keep an eye on your competition, check their website and social. You might even visit their store to see what new things they are doing. So why would you let them win Best Business of the Year yet again?
So, a good reason to take part in awards is because everyone is at it. Why did they win the title over you? What are they doing differently? Use the information to benchmark your customer offer and processes. Being part of the entry process alone gives you an insight into how leading companies are operating and it allows you to learn from them.
3 – Boost your credibility
My business is officially amazing and look, I have a badge to prove it.
Do you put questionable claims to success on your website? Do you really have an innovative product range and who knows if you are really a great employer? Awards are a chance to get validity to your claims and it’s not bragging if someone else is saying it.
Awards are also a great way to get your small business in front of big name players often in your industry who are sponsoring your award category. A good chance to network show off your credentials as a potential supplier and maybe make some personal contacts usually closely guarded.
4 – Talk about yourself
How often does your business talk about itself? How may press releases did you send out in the last year? Do you think your business is just a bit boring and you struggle to think of a story that the public might be interested in?
Even being shortlisted for an award is likely to result in lots of publicity, raising your profile and allows you to tell the wider community what you do and why you do it.
The best part of the publicity for awards is that the award promoters should do all the hard work for you. Including you in their press notices if you are shortlisted and on the night, they will be sharing your business on social and if you are winner you hopefully get you picture in the paper. Extra top tip – you are more likely to make the main picture if you look a bit excitable!
5 – It is a big party!
Ok so we have talked business benefits now let’s talk about the real reason we all enjoy awards…the change to let your hair down and celebrate!
You get to dress up fancy, have a posh meal, listen to some interesting and funny speaker and then wildly cheer all the businesses winning and you (almost) don’t care if you win or not!
Awards nights are great fun but also a chance to get your team out of the office and have a bit of civilised team building which doesn’t involved climbing over a wall in 2 feet of mud.
They are also a great chance to network with your industry and find out all the latest goings on while people might be a bit more “chatty” than usual!